Share Your MAGIC
Add Value to Yourself and Others by Daily Performing
Your Best Tricks.
Copyright © 2012 Devin Henderson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means
including information storage and retrieval systems without
permission in writing from the author.
Printed in the USA by www.minibuk.com
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Abandon the Pickpocket Mentality . . 3
The Pickpocket Mentality Defined. . . . .4
The World of Pickpocket Magic . . . . . 6
My Pickpocket Mentality . . . . . . . . . . . 8
All about “M.E.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
What does this mean for you? . . . . . . .14
Pickpockets are Everywhere! . . . . . . . 16
You Might be a Pickpocket if . . . . . . . 30
Discover Your Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Magic Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Magic: it’s not just for Magicians . . . . 39
A Lesson from Napoleon Dynamite . . 40
Your M.A.G.I.C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
You Might be a Magician if. . . . . . . . .73
Deliver the Goods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Great Rewards and Final Words . . . . . 91
About Devin Henderson . . . . . . . . . . 82
Introduction
Did you know that you are a magician?
You have a bag of tricks all your own.
Have you ever opened your bag? Maybe
there are some deep, dark corners of the
bag you have never explored. Or maybe
there are some hidden pockets you are
unaware of (after all, it is a magic bag).
It’s high time you dump out the contents,
analyze what you’ve got, and put it to
good use.
I am a professional magician. I will
reveal to you the secrets of how to
discover and develop the abilities and
interests you might find in your magic
bag. Your magical traits are not just skills
that you use to show off and make people
say, “Wow – you are amazing!” They are
also meant to make people say, “Wow –
you made me feel amazing!” In other
words, your magic is meant to be shared
in order that you may add value to others.
Share Your Magic
1
This book is for you. Whether you are a
business professional or a stay-at-home
parent, you have magic that is worth
exploring. This book will help you bring
your magic to life so that you can bring
your magic to every area of your life.
You will find there is great reward in
doing so, because great blessings come
when you learn to utilize your
awesomeness. The two basic rewards of
sharing your magic are self-fulfillment
and better personal and professional
relationships.
There is one thing that can keep us from
sharing our magic: The Pickpocket
Mentality. It means that we humans have
a natural tendency toward selfishness. It
is such a hindrance, in fact, that I have
devoted the first half of this book to
Abandoning the Pickpocket Mentality.
Once we address this concept we will
focus on your magic. Now let’s get to it.
Devin Henderson
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Devin Henderson
1
Abandon the Pickpocket Mentality
Share Your Magic
3
The Pickpocket Mentality Defined:
Anything a person does that takes
value from others.
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Devin Henderson
When the magician called me onto the
stage I was terrified. Public speaking is
the No. 1 fear of humans, over death.
Getting up in front of a huge crowd of
people scares me even if I do not have to
speak. But the magician put me at ease.
He was nice. He shook my hand, looked
me in the eye, smiled at me, remembered
my name, and assured me I was doing a
great job. He was personable and polite
and made me feel comfortable. The trick
went very well and he even had the
audience applaud for me as I returned to
my seat. He seemed very sincere – I
never imagined he would steal my watch.
This may be what goes through people’s
minds after they assist me on stage. As a
professional comedy magician and
pickpocket entertainer, not only do I have
the opportunity to provide the gift of
laughter and amazement, I get to pick
people’s pockets in the process. I have never
been arrested for this stunt, even after doing
it for audiences of police departments!
Share Your Magic
5
New to the World of Pickpocket Magic?
Here’s how it Works:
During my audience-interactive comedy
magic show I invite people onto the stage to
help me with various tricks. The volunteers
on stage typically have no idea that they are
about to be “victimized.”
During the trick I take whatever I can get
my hands on, including watches, wallets,
pens, cell phones, car keys and neckties. I
accomplish this by diverting people’s
attention from their personal belongings
onto the trick for which I “need their help.”
The steals are made under the pretense of
helping spectators examine props or by
physically repositioning them on the stage.
For added comedy I often let the audience
“in” on the steals that are being made, but
the volunteers are typically unaware of what
is going on until I hand back their valuables.
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Devin Henderson
Disclaimer:
I use my pickpocketing skills strictly
for entertainment purposes and in the
end, everyone has a good laugh,
including the “victims” themselves.
Share Your Magic
7
How my Pickpocket Mentality was Born
The first item I learned to “steal” was the
wristwatch. When I successfully stole
my first watch without the owner’s
detection, I was hooked. After a while,
the first thing I began to notice about
people was the type of watch they were
wearing. Is it a Timex? Is it a Rolex?
Does it fasten with Velcro or is it a belt
buckle-type?
I became a student of watches,
especially the clasps. I quickly
developed the ability to determine the
type of clasp merely by catching a
glimpse of the face of the watch. Upon
spotting any watch I would think things
like: That one would be easy to take,
Ooh - that one looks tough, or If I could
only shake hands with that person I’d be
home free. Thus was born my
Pickpocket Mentality.
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Devin Henderson
From Watches to Neckties
Soon I began stealing more than watches. I
started taking pens, neckties, cell phones and
wallets. I picked pockets everywhere I went.
I started by practicing on my family, then
took it to church, the mall, restaurants,
airports, and when I was ready, to the stage.
Often, I would not spot a watch or other
valuables on someone right away, but I
found with most people that if you look hard
enough you will find something to take.
The Pickpocket Parallel to Life
I soon realized that this fun art form contains
life application. When we keep our eyes
open, we begin to see what people have to
offer us. It might be their money, their
signature, or simply their approval we are
after. We will use anything from subtle
manipulation to outright bullying in order to
get what we want. This kind of activity
happens in business, politics, ministry and
the family.
Share Your Magic
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Pickpocket Mentality Characteristics
We have defined the pickpocket mentality as
anything a person does that takes value from
others, but a pickpocket also…
• Always try to get more out of people.
• Manipulates and bullies.
• Uses careless and hurtful words.
• Has no regard or respect for others’ wellbeing, ideas, goals and dreams.
• Uses kindness only as a tool for personal
gain.
• Refuses to help others get ahead for fear
that it will put him or her behind.
• Lacks patience with others.
• Has a ME-driven mindset.
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Devin Henderson
All About
“ME”
There are two basic types of value a person
can take: material and emotional. Because
the pickpocket mentality is a “ME” mindset,
an easy way to remember these two types of
values is with those two letters: M.E.
MATERIAL EMOTIONAL
Just like we possess material value that can
be taken, such as jewelry, credit cards or
even a parking spot, we also hold emotional
things of value that can be taken, such as
joy, peace and self-confidence. A nasty
comment that steals your joy can be just as
bad as someone lifting your watch.
There is some overlap with these two
components. For instance, if someone steals
your identity, it will have material
ramifications as well as emotional. Or if you
have had your Rolex taken, you have also
had your joy taken!
Share Your Magic
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Stealing More than just Physical Goods
Emotional pickpocketing is probably more
common in your day-to-day life than
material pickpocketing. Here are examples
of what we can steal from inside a person.
• Joy
• Autonomy
• Enthusiasm
• Trust
• Productivity
• Happiness
• Ambition
• Success
• Loyalty
• Motivation
• Innocence
• Dreams
• Self-image
• Security
• Self-confidence
• Openness
• Self-worth
• Satisfaction
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Devin Henderson
“All relationships either add to or
subtract from a person’s life.”
John Maxwell
Share Your Magic
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What does all this mean for you?
Think about all of your relationships, both in
your personal and in your professional life.
Did you ever realize that in each one of
those relationships, you are either adding
value or taking value?
The fact that you are reading this book most
likely means you desire success. You are
probably continually searching for avenues
to move yourself forward, as you should be.
The question is this: how do your methods
for advancement affect others?
Again, like John Maxwell said, there are
only two answers – either we add value, or
take value. In this highly competitive world,
our blinders of self-interest often block us
from seeing how our actions can damage the
well-being of others. Abandoning the
pickpocket mentality is about achieving
success in a manner that not only looks to
our own interests, but also looks to the
interests of others.
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Devin Henderson
Getting Busted
No pickpocket entertainer is perfect with every
steal – we all get busted from time to time.
Sometimes by chance I call people onto the
stage who have seen me work before, and they
walk onto the stage emptying their pockets or
holding tightly to their watch. These people
are the ones who are most likely to bust me on
my pickpocketing attempts. In the same way,
selfish motives in this life eventually catch up
to a person. Everyone who tries to get ahead
by taking value from others is eventually
going to “get busted.”
Honest Success and True Success
The truth is, the more we bring others down,
the further we bring ourselves down.
Likewise, the more value we add to others,
the more value we add to ourselves. Thus,
abandoning the pickpocket mentality is not
only the first step in adding value to others,
it is the first step in achieving consciencefriendly, self-fulfilling, long-lasting,
through-the-roof success.
Share Your Magic
15
Pickpockets are Everywhere!
One of my missions as a speaker is to help
people ensure that their presence does not
make others feel like victims of a pickpocket
mentality.
Following are some real-life “pickpocket”
stories. My purpose here is to simply help
you become aware of everyday situations
where we can choose to either add value or
take value. You will find examples of both
material and emotional pickpocketing
attempts.
I have even included a story of where I
exercised the pickpocket mentality myself –
and got busted!
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Devin Henderson
Material Pickpocketing
Engagement Ring Shopping
One of the professions into which the
pickpocket mentality can sneak very easily
is sales. I have nothing against sales; in fact,
as an entrepreneur I am a salesman myself. I
have a lot of respect for skilled sales
professionals who show respect for their
customers and believe their product or
service is to the customer’s benefit.
An unpleasant buying experience for me
was when I went engagement ring shopping.
I visited about a dozen jewelry stores during
this time, and in nearly every store I felt like
a victim of the pickpocket mentality.
I understand that a sales professional’s job
and livelihood is on the line each time a
customer walks through the door.
Assertiveness is a must. But when that
assertiveness turned to aggressiveness, my
experiences became sour.
Share Your Magic
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Several of the salespeople I encountered did
many things right. For example, I
appreciated being smiled at as I walked in
the door. I appreciated someone approaching
me right away, asking how I was doing and
how I could be helped. I even enjoyed the
small talk and the questions about my plans
for popping the big question. These are all
great sales techniques for connecting with
customers and many people practice them
sincerely.
But personally, what I wanted after the small
talk was to be left alone so I could simply
look at rings and think. I would tell them
that, but they would not listen. They would
follow me around like a lion after its prey.
When I would simply pause and fixate on a
certain area they would pounce on me –
“This is a really nice one here. I like this
one. It’s beautiful and we have seven others
similar to it. Each one comes in yellow gold
and white gold. This diamond is a princesscut and it’s an ‘F.’ You can upgrade to a ‘D’
for only a few thousand dollars more.”
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Devin Henderson
With some sales people, no matter how
many times I told them I just wanted to look,
they would still turn up the heat. I even tried
saying, “I would just like to look and I will
let you know if I need your help.” That did
not work well either. So I developed a
defense strategy when entering stores.
First, I decided not to make eye contact and
engage in small talk when I entered the
store. Also, if the sales people initiated a
conversation, I gave a very short reply or
ignored them – still making no eye contact.
If they persisted with showing rings or
offering unsolicited advice, as a last resort I
would say a quick “thanks” and try to throw
them off my trail by walking away to
another part of the store.
The salespeople’s obligation to listen to me
and show sensitivity to my needs was
trumped by their burning desire to make a
sale. Something is very wrong when a
customer has to develop a plan of defense
against the sales force!
Share Your Magic
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My response to the pressure of jewelry
salespeople shows how people respond to
the pickpocket mentality – they throw up
defenses and keep their distance. They may
even go somewhere else, like I eventually
did. Nobody wants to be taken advantage of.
As frustrating as the jewelry store
experiences were, I am thankful for them. At
the time I was only a few years into my
entrepreneurship, and I learned a valuable
lesson about the importance of listening to
the needs and concerns of my clients.
I ended up buying a ring from a place where
the people respected my personal need to
shop all by myself – until I asked for their
help. I did not feel at all like they were
trying to pick my pockets. Instead, they did
everything they could to make sure that I
had everything I needed in the way I needed
it. It was an overall pleasant experience, and
they are the first ones I will go to when I am
in need of more jewelry.
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Devin Henderson
Hey - That’s my Parking Spot!
People become animals when they get
behind the wheel. Old people become
turtles. Teenagers become monkeys. And
many become a combination of cheetah and
pit bull – they are the fast and the furious.
When road rage takes to the parking lot, I
call it “pick-parketing,” or if you’re from
Boston, “pick-pahketing,” in which case it
sounds like “pickpocketing.” Here is my
confession about a time I attempted a pickparketing stunt, only to be busted by my
wife.
The first weekend of every June our city
holds its annual festival, Old Shawnee Days,
at which I have performed many times in the
past. On Saturday morning of the festival,
many organizations and clubs participate in
a parade. It was something I enjoyed as a
child and now enjoy with my own children.
Share Your Magic
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We always park at the First Baptist Church
of Shawnee, because it is a primo spot along
the parade route and is also adjacent to Old
Shawnee Town, the location of the festival.
Every year during the parade, without fail,
the church parking lot is completely packed.
What do you do when a parking lot is full?
Again, some people become animals, in this
case buzzards circling continuously in
search of a spot. Others make their own
spots. And some of us become stalkers –
watching for people who are walking to
their cars in the hope they are leaving so we
can take their spots. I am a stalker.
We waited for a few minutes and bingo – we
spotted three teenage girls walking to their
car. As I turned to pursue the trio, I noticed
out of the corner of my eye that a car was
already following them. But this car was
following the girls backwards. Immediately
I called “foul.” That’s just dangerous. So
without making eye contact, I cut off the
other car, and began following the girls.
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Devin Henderson
While watching the other car in my rearview
mirror, it became apparent to me that the
person saw what I was doing. This person
slammed on the brakes and sped forward to
race around the block of cars, hoping to luck
out and beat me to the spot. But chance
would have it that the girls did not go far
and I was waiting at their spot with my
blinker on as my opponent came peeling
around the corner.
I had manipulated the situation perfectly. I
had some kids in the back seat who were
eager to see a parade, and I needed a parking
spot -- now.
Then my wife said, “Should we let them
have it?” And I was thinking, no. But I
didn’t say that. Instead, I said the two words
that have saved me many times. “Yes, dear.”
She was not going to let me do it – I was
busted! Even though I could have argued
that I earned the spot and now it was
rightfully mine, it was only right that I
considered the other person.
Share Your Magic
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As I drove forward, I paused, rolled my
window down and called out to the other
driver, “Would you like this spot?” The
driver was a little old lady, and as she
looked up at me and shielded her eyes from
the sun, I could see there was a cast on her
arm. She replied, “That would be
wonderful.” I said, “It’s all yours.”
It felt good -- no, it felt really good to put
my own wants aside and focus on someone
else who needed the parking spot more than
me. I thank the good Lord that I have an
amazing woman who helps remind me at
times to think outside of myself and live out
the things that I encourage other people to
live out.
In that situation I was faced with a choice: I
could either add value to that woman, or
take value from her. Those were the only
two options. After we drove off and found a
parking spot further down the street, I was
able to walk with my family to the parade
with joy in my spirit and peace in my heart.
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Devin Henderson
Emotional Pickpocketing
Restaurant Management
Before I was giving magic-themed keynote
presentations at conferences, I was doing
tableside magic in restaurants. I do not do it
anymore, but it taught me valuable lessons.
Having never been a waiter, I enjoyed
experiencing the behind-the-scenes aspects
of restaurants. It was interesting hearing
staff complain about patrons rather than the
other way around, feeling the anxiety of the
managers needing to turn tables quickly on a
busy night, and seeing the wait staff getting
totally ticked-off when the hostess seated
too many tables in their section again.
I found that when managers have a positive
attitude, handle conflict well, respect staff,
and can keep their cool, the restaurant
functions well and there is minimal staff
turnover. And vice versa. I saw the best of
both worlds.
Share Your Magic
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One restaurant I worked in was on top of
their game, and it started with the owners.
They worked as a team and knew how to
treat their staff well. I was shocked at how
long some of the staff had stayed on there.
Then there was the restaurant that was just
the opposite. I did not see a collaborative
effort among the staff. One night when
business was slow I was talking with a
waiter and the manager came by, tossed a
wet rag to the waiter, and said with a
demeaning look, “Those tables aren’t going
to clean themselves.” The waiter caught the
rag, and as the manager walked away, the
waiter gave him one of the dirtiest, most
hateful looks I had ever seen.
He did not feel respected. The manager took
his will to work hard and his motivation to
show respect. Weeks later, that staff member
was fired for giving away a free bottle of
wine at the bar, which is strictly against
restaurant policy. It was an act of defiance
against all of his negative experiences.
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Devin Henderson
These two types of restaurants taught me the
value of abandoning the pickpocket
mentality in leadership and management.
Take value from people and they will break
the rules, show disrespect, and get the heck
out of Dodge (unless they get fired first).
But add value to your people, and your
organization will thrive.
“You’ve Aged!”
‘Sticks and Stones,’ baby. Yeah, words hurt.
Sometimes it happens with ill intent, and
sometimes it happens unintentionally. Either
way, hurtful and careless words steal value.
One time before a speaker showcase I was
talking with a fellow speaker. She had just
visited my website and was complimenting
me on how it looked. Boom – value added.
“Thanks a lot,” I told her. She said she
especially liked the pictures, and asked me
when I had them taken. This is where things
went south.
Share Your Magic
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I thought for a second and told her the
pictures were taken about three years earlier.
“Wow!” she said, “You’ve aged!” Uh, gee,
thanks, lady. Self-esteem killer. Need I say
more?
That’s my Dad You’re Talking About!
My dad had a similar experience. One time
he bought a new suit. He felt good in the suit
and he was proud to wear it to work.
Someone at work said, “That’s a nice suit,
Bill – too bad it doesn’t fit you right.” That
man picked the self-confidence right out of
the pockets of my dad’s new suit!
Sometimes when we say hurtful things, we
think the follow-up words “I was joking” fix
everything. But they don’t, because the
comment still sticks. And besides, like my
good friend Joe always says, “There is a
little bit of truth in every joke.” What we say
is irreversible. The same tongue that has the
power to uplift has an equal and opposite
ability to completely tear down.
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Devin Henderson
Now the Important Question is…
Are You a Pickpocket?
Think for a minute about your interactions
over the past week, over the past few
days…even just today. Has there been an
instance where you have picked a pocket?
You may be familiar with the hilarious Jeff
Foxworthy’s “You might be a redneck
if…” routines. Inspired by that premise, I
present: “You might be a pickpocket if…”
to provide you with the opportunity to
reflect on your general motives and methods
in dealing with others.
As you read the following pages, be honest
with yourself as you seek the answer to the
question, “Do I have pickpocket
tendencies?”
You will find a little humor in some of these
statements, but you will find truth in all of
them.
Share Your Magic
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You Might be a Pickpocket if…
• You begrudge doing favors for others.
• You get upset when someone doesn’t
repay you for your kindness.
• You keep track of your good deeds.
• You are more concerned with your own
accomplishments being recognized and
less concerned about recognizing the
accomplishments of others.
• You cut people off on the highway then
don’t let other cars in.
• You are always asking, “What’s in it for
me?”
• While eating out, you despise when others
order the chicken and then ask to try a bite
of your steak.
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Devin Henderson
You Might be a Pickpocket if…
• You do not serve others or volunteer your
time in any way.
• Every time you call your friends, the first
words out of their mouth are, “What do
you want now?”
• Your friends stop answering their phones.
• You consciously make under-handed
comments that cut people down.
• You subconsciously make under-handed
comments that cut people down.
• You bust out the tip calculator function on
your cell phone when paying in a
restaurant to ensure you only pay the
minimum amount required – even if the
service was excellent.
• You are quick to receive credit but slow to
accept blame.
Share Your Magic
31
You Might be a Pickpocket if…
• You e-blast people and send newsletters
like crazy but spend even more time
unsubscribing to others’ newsletters and eblasts because they annoy you.
• Gossip is fun, pleasurable, and feels good.
• You demand the undivided attention of
others but exhibit poor listening skills and
do nothing to improve them.
• You think every parking spot in the world
has an invisible sign with your name on it.
• You’ve ever written off a nice dinner with
your spouse as a business expense.
• You are never happy with what you have.
The more you get, the more you want.
• You have a hiding place for the remote
control.
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Devin Henderson
You Might be a Pickpocket if…
• Your flattery is as sweet and as thick as
Mrs. Butterworth’s maple syrup: “Flattery
is from the teeth out. Sincere appreciation
is from the heart out.” –Dale Carnegie
• You are the breadwinner and in order to
maintain power and control in your
household, you refuse to combine banking
accounts with your spouse.
• You re-gift junk.
• Your politeness, smile and kindness are
contingent upon the politeness, smiles and
kindness of others.
• You enjoy “telling off” in-laws, coworkers and telemarketers and then
proudly share stories about it with others.
• You practice dishonest techniques to get
what you want and you are okay with that.
Share Your Magic
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You Might be a Pickpocket if…
• Rather than lighting up a room, your
demeanor, personality and attitude suck
the life out of a room.
• Your kids’ friends aren’t welcome in your
home because they might put a hole in the
wall, ruffle the carpet and otherwise tear
up the place.
• You’ve ever taken the biggest, juiciest
chicken breast from the fried chicken bowl
at the Sunday church potluck.
• You’ve ever taken the last deviled egg at
the neighborhood bbq.
• Your parents/caregivers were pickpockets.
It is often hereditary.
• You can think of someone right now you
are holding a grudge against and whom
you refuse to forgive.
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Devin Henderson
You Might be a Pickpocket if…
• You never make sacrifices of any kind.
• You lay early claim to movie theater and
airplane armrests.
• You’ve ever taken a nice, long, warm
shower and the five people after you took
cold showers.
• Your criticisms run rampant: “Any fool
can criticize, condemn and complain and
most fools do.” –Dale Carnegie
• You’ve ever strategically placed your
brownies at the head of the dessert table.
• You’ve ever told someone they’ve aged or
gained weight.
• You associate Salvation Army bell-ringers
with guilt.
• You are human.
Share Your Magic
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A New Habit
So what do you think? Do you have
pickpocket tendencies?
In pointing out the pickpocket mentality, I
am not saying we are all horrible people out
for blood. I think there is good in all of us. It
is not my intent to shame or guilt you. My
goal here is to simply help you become
aware of the pickpocket mentality. Since we
humans are by nature selfish, often times we
do not even realize we are taking value.
It would not be fair for me to encourage you
to abandon the pickpocket mentality without
offering you a solution. We overcome
pickpocket practices the same way we
overcome any bad habit – by replacing the
bad habits with good habits. Pickpocket
practices can be replaced with the good
habit of sharing your magic, and that is the
focus of the remainder of this book.
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Devin Henderson